Govt urges adoption of communities

Last Updated on Saturday, 16 April 2016, 17:42 by Denis Chabrol

The private sector and other players in society are expected to adopt communities across Guyana as part of efforts to develop sustainable development, Minister of State Joseph Harmon said Saturday.

“The business community, individuals, associations and other groups should be encouraged to adopt communities to help address issues affecting them and promote their development,” he told the opening of a Community Development Seminar at St. Stanislaus College, Brickdam,  Georgetown.

He explained that government envisages that the idea would link resources to meet sustainable levels of development. In his presentation titled “Community Development Organisations and Local Democracy,” Harmon hoped that sponsors would be inspired by several models around the world to engage communities.

The Minister of State envisages that the adoption of communities will lead to the establishment of community business enterprises as individuals, cooperative societies or corporations, assistance with entrepreneurial training, management and monitoring of projects and other deliverables and the facilitation of training in contract bidding and government procurement procedures.

Government further hopes that the adoption of communities will lead to the introduction of Information and Communication Technology tools for the modernization of communities, promotion of the establishment of local radio and television outlets and the promotion of art and literature through writing village/community histories as an exciting pastime and as a business.

President David Granger has already expressed the hope that towns would be run like corporations and reduce their dependence on central government for support.